In comparason to influenza, the coronavirus is an entirely different disease, but Dr John Cameron says they still don't know a lot about it.
Covid-19 is a member of the SARS family and while the flu vaccine won't protect you against the new virus, he says it will help remove one of the risk factors.
Dr Cameron believes people should be taking the same measures as they would with a normal respiratory virus, since no cases in connection to community transmission have been recorded.
"While we don't have community spread, you should be taking the same normal precautions for respiratory disease."
This also applies to pregnant women, as children and pregnancy don't seem to be as affected by the virus according to Dr John Cameron.
Dr John Cameron says it's primarily elderly people and those with other health issues that are the most affected.
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a border ban for all non-citizens or permanent residents from entering New Zealand.
The move to close borders allowed "every practitioner [to breathe] a sigh of relief last night" according to Dr Cameron as he says it will hopefully stop chances of community spread.
Indoor gatherings were also limited to just 100 people when held in doors after eight another positive cases of coronavirus were announced taking the country's total cases to 28.
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